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Contract Drivers
 
Courier driving is NOT unskilled work. Please do not think that because you can read a map you can make a living courier driving, because it just isn't so.
 

Requirements

You need a vehicle, (scooter, hatchback, pick-up or van), reliable enough to withstand 2 or 300 kilometres of city driving every day.

Every day your vehicle is in for repair you are not only paying for those repairs, but you are also losing between $100 & $150 off your next paycheck.

You need a detailed knowledge of the Lower Mainland, sufficient that when you see a street address you not only know where it is, but also how best to get there.

You need considerable organizational abilities. Your deliveries have to be prioritized not only by geography, but also by time constraints. On a busy day, at any given time, a driver may have been assigned 20 or more trips to pick up & deliver (on time!). A good driver will be able to handle 50 or more deliveries a day

You need to be neat & tidy, with GOOD command of the English language. Communication by radio is not always easy, & it is vital that Dispatchers & Drivers are both absolutely clear on what was said, & what was meant!

You need to be even tempered, because both the job & the traffic can be very frustrating, & no-one can hold a job in a service industry like this unless they are in tight control of their emotions !

Our motto: MSKS - - - Mouth Shut - Keep Smiling !

You need to carry Class 13 (delivery of merchandise) Insurance, with a minimum of $2 Million Liability.

You need to register with WCB, under your own Firm #.

We will require Photocopies of your:

Insurance
Drivers License
Drivers Abstract
A void cheque (for automatic payroll deposit)
2 recent photos of yourself (for photo ID)

IT IS STRONGLY RECOMMENDED THAT YOU INCUR NO EXPENSES WHATSOEVER UNTIL YOU HAVE A CLEAR UNDERTAKING FROM US THAT THERE IS A POSITION AVAILABLE TO YOU.

 
Remuneration
    Owner/Operator drivers are self-employed contractors. This means that ALL expenses related to your job are tax deductible. Such expenses would include fuel, repairs, insurance, the portion of your rent or mortgage that represents your office space, parking expenses including Permits, the appropriate portion of your Cellular Phone bill, etc. KEEP ALL RECEIPTS!

Drivers are paid a percentage of each delivery they do ( a commission). At VIP the percentages range from 62% to 70% depending on the vehicle driven & the length of time with the company.

Deducted from the commissions are rental (shortly to be lease) of communications equipment (radio & pager) and uniform charges – at our cost or less. Receipts are provided for tax purposes.

Drivers are paid on the 15th & the last day of the month, with a 2 week hold back. This means commissions earned between the 1st & the 15th of the month are paid at the end of the month, & those earned between the 16th & the end of the month are paid on the 15th following.

A daily printout of all your deliveries & commissions is made available to you the following morning, so you can check that you are being paid appropriately.

At VIP the annual income of drivers range between 20 & 50 Thousand.

 

Advantages & Disadvantages Of Being A Courier

One of the criteria for determining "Contractor Status" is the risk of profit or loss.

Make no mistake, there is a very real risk of loss in this business. It is quite expensive to get started, & the income can be quite low initially as there is a huge amount to learn. Although some people take to it like a duck to water, it is wise to expect as much as 10 or 12 weeks before your income is what you would hope for.

It is not a job for everyone, you may be a brilliant brain surgeon but still not have what it takes to be successful as a courier.

Although 80% of our drivers have been at VIP for 2 or more years, & we try very hard to only hire people we feel will be successful, there are still a number of people who find that they are not suited to the job.

On the positive side, the job can be challenging & fun, & the money is fairly decent. As a contractor you have a lot more freedom than an employee. You are not restricted to 2 weeks holiday a year. Summer is a slow time in our industry & if you can afford to take more time off, it can usually be arranged.

In order to maximize everyone's income we have to try & have exactly the number of people we need to complete deliveries on time. Chronic absenteeism forces us to hire extra people to cover for those that are missing, reducing everyone's share of the pie, but with proper consultation & good communication you can often arrange to work hours that are mutually convenient.

A good courier can almost always get work. We have an open door policy for competent drivers that have left us on good terms (subject to the availability of work).

 

AS A CONTRACTOR YOU DO NOT RECEIVE HOLIDAY PAY, NOR DO YOU CONTRIBUTE TO OR BECOME ELIGIBLE FOR EMPLOYMENT INSURANCE.

 

Why V.I.P. Courier?

At VIP we believe that a happy person works better than a miserable one. We make every possible effort not to over hire drivers. We try our best to make sure that the dispatching is as fair as we can (no matter who dispatches the same people make the most money & the same people complain about it)

We try our very best to deal with driver's. concerns or problems as quickly and fairly as possible.

We cannot keep everybody happy all the time, but;

80% of our drivers have been here 2 years or more
60% have been here 5 years or more
30% have been here 10 years or more
...and we're quite proud of that.

 
"Hire the best
Pay them fairly
Communicate frequently
Provide challenges and rewards
Believe in them
Get out of their way-- they'll knock your socks off"

Mary Ann Allison, Vice President, CitiCorp